CHRISTCHURCH SHOW.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 6053, 10 November 1906, Page 7

CHRISTCHURCH SHOW.

“PEOPLE’S DAY.”

(From Our Special Reporter.) CHRISTCHURCH, November 9.

To the man from the North Island, where every year some fresh patch of bush is felled and some families go into now and voluntary exile, it seems that the Canterbury man , looks at things through eyes that are old. Once upon’ a time two sections of the Old World came to Now Zealand. One camo by way of Sydney, and was established about" Waitomatn Harbour; the other straight across the ocean in clippers now forgotten, and began to flourish about Port Nicholson. All the rest was the virgin and blood-stain-ed’ now world. Fierce Waikato and Ngapulu drove the pakeha ofoso under the palisades of Auckland; Ngatiitoa made terrible tbe mountain guerdon of Wellington, but Te Walii Pounarau (the South Island) lay' peacefully dormant. Far away in the fastnesses of Muribiku and Tuturau the remnant pf Ngatimomoe and Waitaha glanced from their mountain tops timidly towards tho North Island, whence the devastating taua of Ngatitoa had stained with blood the history: of.tho generation before. To them tho pakeha was a welcome guest, because even without guns he brougnt power. It was different in the North. War and devastation drpve the pakeha away from his fields aijd into the companionship of other men. That was so until yesterday. .No local-char-acteristics were developed, and to-day the pakeha of the North Island is as a man distinct apart, from the pakeha of the South. The difference is noticeable in tbe farmers, tho North Islander not being bound by : precedent over things because they appear lo him to bo suitable. The South Islander has been longer in his furrow; he acts in such a way because it lias been done so throughout his generation. .■ He is a generation in advance. He is tall and loan because the dry plains and the gaunt foothills got; info tho blood of his father and have straightened the. bones of tho son. He is sulkily disposed towards now things, because ease and peace and luxury have mad© him contented with the- old. It*; is not because the Canterbury farmer is. sleek and prosperously* clothed in tweeds that he differs from the North Islander, nor is it because a larger proportion of him "drosses for dinner." It is in character that ho -is farthest apart. Ho is an established class "with hardening ideals. He thinks only of breeding to standards, because -oven if they -happen to be bis own in , tho first case—like the Otago Corriedalc—they have come to be recognised as standards, and therefore are to bo revored. The North. Islander takes lees for granted. - If he sees a plough he crawls underneath to find out what is new about. it. If he sees a perfect model of an Aberdeen Angus or a. Shorthorn, he wonders forthwith what alterations could bo effected to make it a more paying beast. But some day there will bo neither North nor South. They* will bo all alike. Tbe South Islander is different to-day only because he is one genera non removed from the struggle with the bush,,where men are continuously striving to make things look new that were once beautifully old. Alas, is ha not also one generation nearer to “tnC IsanTvith fffe hoe?” . THE HORSES.

Canterbury has always been a groat horse-breeding pentre. It has produced some of the best blood, stock of the colony, and its draughts have been bred to an excellent standard. It is rather a matter for regret than an opportunity .is not provided farmers at the leading stock show of th'o province to see the best types of thoroughbred stock. Notwithstanding the presence in the district of several large blood stock studs, there wore only four thoroughbreds exhibited, and those wore stallions. , Certainly no classes wore provided for female stock, but the one class provided lor yearling stallions did not attract a single entry. Evidently the association has discovered that it. is not worth while providing breeders will not patronise. It would ha interesting to know if blood stock breeders have any valid reason for not exhibiting their stock. 'Probably it is that they do not want the opinion of any live stock judges, and that tho life business, of tho .animal’s racing will.be interfered with. Tho animals are being bred for the racing-track,not to advance any utility type. Tho result of this is thai constitution points—the prime essential in all breeding • operations —are being sacrificed before the animal is fully developed; that is at eighteen months old it is put into training,_ and if it breaks down it is put to the’stud. 1 a principle which must , in course of time load to deterioration of light-horse stock generally. Had breeders of blood stock the true interests of horse-breeding at heart they would aim, firstat . stamina, and give every encouragement to tho show movement.: .-. 1 ■ ; ..

The draught stock was probably one of the finest shows of heavy farm, horses ever seen in tho colony. Certainly no North Island , phow has attracted such a high-class collection. The best draught stock of the colony is undoubtedly in Otago and Southland, and from those provinces have come the best Shires and Clydesdales 'in the North. That the.'present .Christchurch exhibit should 1 equal,. if not surpass, those of Invercargill and Dunedin speaks .'well for its extent and quality. In one class—that.for dry mares—tho competitors at Christchurch form probably the greatest display ever seen in Australasia, and, as a group, a bettor show of stallions has not been, seen in the colony. In this class an animal was exhibited which stood right out, but ho was unplaced. There were three judges at work, but evidently two of them thought more of condition, and top appearance than the first requirements in a horse —legs and feet. The horse in question Baron Fyve was first in his class at the Koval Show of England, and was champion as a two-year-old at the Highland Society’s show. His feet and legs are faultless. A rather common mistake among horse judges throughout the colony is to pay too much attention to style, top, and condition. Tho only weak class in draughts was that for thrcc-ycar-old colts, which was filled by a poor lot. Baron Martin,' by Baron Graceful, won in the two-year-old class, and secured Lord Rothschild’s silver ; howl, given for the best Clydesdale by an imported horse. A Southland mare, Nellie Gray, defeated the Hawke’s Bay mare (shown by J. W. Harding) Kate O’Shane m the class'for mare in foal or with foal at foot. In the gelding class the Palmerston North champion Sir Joseph (H. M.v Sinmonds) was an easy first. A better gelding has not been seen in tho South Island for many years. From

the ground up, and from tho head te tho tail it is impossible to find fault. This feature of tho section was tho nintceen dry mares. It will bo many*, a year before a better lot will face a New Zealand judge. In the opinion of one authority, a better collection of draught horses could not bo seen outside of a Shire horse show in Great Britain. While there were only four thoroughbreds to bo soon tlio display of light horses, particularly hacks, was net disappointing. The competition was very limited and few of the horses wore of good standard, quite a number being below show form. Considering the number of good horsee to bo soon about Christchurch, the poor patronage cx- . tended to this section of the show is surprising,' A feature of the colt classes was tho sweeping victory of the Wanganui veterinarian, Mr P. Maxwell Edgar, with hie -unbeaten cob Tom-tit, which'..-was equally Ouccesful at tho recent Palmerston North show. Tomtit was placed first as a cob under IS hands against ton others;.as the best .barnoss horse under 15 hands, and aa tho best cob mare or 'gelding he is a perfect little horse and would he .difficult- to beat in any show ring in the world. Throughout the pony classes the quality was .most uneven, individual ponies standing out and tho rest tailing off badly. ‘The hunters stood right out among thq light horses. They wero a fine type throughout and would , give a good account of themselves with, the best of ■ the Palmerston horses. Tho jumping test was not so severe as at tbe Manawatu show, but both horses, and riders performed well.. The .winning horse in the blood stallion chits was Sir George Clifford’s Treadmill. , SOME OPINIONS OF THE SHOW. Amongst the many thousands of people on tho show grounds at Addington was Mr. T. G. Wilson, the Colonial President of the Farmers’ Union. Mr. Wilson described the show as tho finest over seen by him in the colony. Tho sheep particularly took Mr. Wilson’s fancy, and ho was rather amused and gratified at the North Island as having beaten tbe South Island in English Leicestors and also at the fact that, the entry of Mr. Booth,, of AVairarapa; had car-; ried off first prize in the class of sheep most suitable for the export trade. It lias been a. long-standing jeer against tlio North Island sheepgrowers that , they could not grow sheep suitable for the trade, but the award of tho judges at the Canterbury* Metropolitan Show indicates that the North Island is quite capable, of “holding up its end” in producing first-grade freezers. The South Island has long - held, the palm - for Leicostors and half-breeds, but tin’s year Mr. Perr.Vj of Wairarapa, one of the loading Lincoln breeders of the colony, who has also recently devoted his attention to tho Leicester breed, was very successful, and divided tile first honours with Messrs. R. and J. Reid, P. C. Threlkeld, and James Little, all of Canterbury. In discussing Loioesters Mr. Wilson expressed the opinion that the breed, as evidenced by the pensfiat the show, was in Now Zealand running to weight, not altogether an advantage-in-tho case of such a special purpose mutton typo of sheep. Mr. Wilson was particularly interested in the half-breeds and Cor-' riedalo classes, which -are- mostly foreign to the North Island. Although this .has been so in the past the chances are that even in these broods tho North Island may soon ho a strong competitor with tho .South. What tho North Island is asking for is a brood of sheep which ,is a good wool producer, and at the name time ’ has a good carcase for export, Tbe bill in both these respects, is filled , by the half-breeds and Corriedalo, in addition to which tho owes aro unexcelled as mothers. The climate, of ■' Hawke’s Bay. according to Mr. Wilson, is suitable for those classes of sheep, and as the wool from the halfbred is of a bettor quality than that from tho heavier Romney and Lincoln, , and whilst tho carcase is more within tho weight limit for export purposes it is very probable that in the near future breeders in the North will devote their attention to this class of sheep. In sheep, horses, and cattle, said Mr, Wilson, the. Canterbury Society’s Show this year stood an easy first of any show hold in Now Zealand. This opinion of Mr. AVilson’s is borne out by* almost everyone at the show. In fact, one gentleman who has scon three Royal Agricultural SoShows went so far as to say that he had never seen in tho show rings of Britain a better lot of draughts than faced the judges at the Canterbury Show this year. ; It is interesting in this connection to note that a horse beaten in the stallion class, hut unfairly, was first at tho Royal Show of England, aiid champion at the Highland Society’s Show, In the opinion of the Hon. Mr. McNab, Minister of Lands and Agriculture, the show exceeds all expectations, and he expresses himself particularly well pleased with the sheep and horses. r ;,t: -

Mr. J. D. Ritchie, the Secretary for Agriculture, who accompanied the Minister on a tour of inspection, said that in his experience or townty-fivo years’ of attendance at the Canterbury and other shows throughout tho colony he had seen nothing to compare with the sheep, cattle, and horses shown bore this year. Both cattle and horses showed a very big advance on the quality displayed in previous years, whilst sheep, of which Canterbury may well ho said to bo the home, were better represented than usual. It might here bo stated that the Department of Agriculture took advantage of the shew to make, through Mr. Ritchie, some purchases, ,■ for■■ the Stale farms. Mr. 11. M: Orbell’s. three first prize Border-Loi coster ewe hoggel s, and the same exhibitors second and third prize single hoggets, for the* Momohoki experimental station, and two Dovon_ sows shown by Mr. Seth Smith, of Ngapara, for tho State farm at Levin, were secured. Air W. C. Buchanan, of tho*AVairarapa, said it was the finest exhibition of stock in tho colony. He was only disappointed in one thing, and that was in the fat cattle section. Too many of the beasts were old and rough, whereas at such 'an important stock centre as Christchurch he expected to see an object lesson. in early maturity —young animals exhibited in a finely finished condition.

SHROPSHIRE SHEEP.

Air -v. E. AJansciJ. idle noted English Shropshire breeder, now settled in Tasmania, who judged tho Shropshire classes at the Show, declared the collection of British sheep was really wonderful; he had seen nothing finer in any part tff the ; world. Some; of the Shropshire.; were good enough . to compote iu any part of'tihe world, but there was a big difference between the best and tho worst. The brood could be -improved. both in woo) and carcase, particularly in regard to getting! imoro character into the wool and more density into the fleece, improvements which could easily ho effected by judicious selection. , 1 . On the grounds to-day A meeting or

Shropshire brooders was convened by Mr Basil Seth-Smith. of Oamaru, to meet. .Air '•binsell to discuss Iho refusal 01 till' TasniftHiaii and the Australian Flock Book Association's 1» racogniso .siio;'!) registered in the New Zealand Flock Book, air Mansell explained tlto position and sail! the two books "wore exhibited <m a' standard of English-bred imported sheep. They were nlso about to establish a second Flock Book for Had: ranis, most breeder, who breed flock rams nob caring to go to the trouble and expense of registering individual pedigrees. It was intended when Hook rums were sold that no pedigrees should be supplied with them, so that they could not be reredsteml as stsids. Air .Mansell «ngfulsced that the Now Zealand .Slumpihiro breeders should form an association and establish a Hock book on the iamo lines, so that New Zealand sheep anteroa m such a book would be eligible fur tho Australian books. .Mr C, AV. lie id. of Oamaru, thought thero would be no difficulty in establishing » British section of Shropshire's in the present flock book on the. lines suggested. ' .. Air Mansell agreed, but thought i’ Would bo necessary that either the Blieopbreodors’ Association or tiho Shropshire' breeders should form a Shropshire Breeders' Association to work in conjunction with the Shecpbreetlcrs’ As -Delation. Mr Seth Smith undertook to obtain all particulars from Australia and Tasmnbia. anil report to tho council of the Now Zealand Shccpbrocdors’ Association. '